CHAPTER XXIII
DOROTHY'S ESCAPE
When Miss Bell returned to Dorothy's room in the sanitarium, after hertalk over the telephone, Dorothy saw that her anxiety had reached astate of prostration. She seemed convinced that she had taken to theinstitution the wrong girl, and the dread of disgrace, especially asshe was a new nurse in the house, seemed to weigh very heavily uponher. She would come up and look into Dorothy's face, examine thepupils of her eyes, and then go away sighing.
"Are you sorry I am not demented?" asked Dorothy, with as much in hervoice as she could command. "Just think what a good time you willhave, when we get back to camp."
"I will run away," was the only reply the new nurse would make.
Night came, and the nurse lay down to rest. Dorothy pretended to dothe same thing, but she had resolved to get out of that sanitarium,without bringing disgrace on this young woman. But the attempt wouldbe fraught with danger. If she were caught, not only would she bereturned to the sanitarium, but she knew there was another ward----
Dorothy did not permit herself to think of this. "I am going to getaway before daylight," she said. "Then, when the mother of the missinggirl comes and I have gotten away, they will not know whether it washer daughter, or me."
But to get away would mean trouble for the nurse also. She would beblamed for leaving Dorothy unguarded!
"The other attendant comes in at five in the morning," decidedDorothy, "then I must--go!"
It was an awful thought! She could hear the guards pacing up and downthe corridors, she had seen the high fence with its iron palings, andas to gates--there were guards all about them.
"The nurse's clothes!" thought Dorothy. "If I could get into MissBell's things! They are here--in her suit-case. Then I might walk out!But I would faint if they spoke to me? No, I would not, I must havecourage! I must be brave! In getting out I may save my dear folks moreanxiety, and I can save this poor little woman!"
She looked kindly down at the sleeping nurse. The face, even insleep, was troubled, and the young woman tossed uneasily.
Every hour the clock struck in the outside hall, but Dorothy heard itin her prison room. Her mind was first forming this plan, and thenthat, until she felt, if she did not get some sleep, she would neverbe able to carry out any plan at all. Finally, as the steps and voicesin the hall grew fainter, Dorothy did fall asleep, but only to wakewith a start just as the clock struck five.
A tap sounded at the door. Miss Bell was dressed and waiting. Thenurses were going down to breakfast, and as she left Dorothy, with apleasant word, the other attendant stepped in, picked up a novel, andwithout noticing Dorothy, any more than if she had been wooden, shesank lazily down in a chair, and started to read.
How could Dorothy get on her disguise now? She sighed heavily, andalmost gave up her plan. But not quite, for in desperate straits oneclings to the proverbial straw, and now Dorothy was clutchingfrantically at--anything--at hope.
A man poked his head in at the door.
"Hello, Tom!" said the attendant, in no polite voice, "What have yougot for me?"
The man winked, and Dorothy turned away. "Can't you leave her?" hewhispered.
The woman looked at Dorothy, who pretended to be almost stupid. Shehad hidden her face in her hands.
"I guess she'll keep," Dorothy heard her say, and with that the nursestepped out of the door, and Dorothy heard a laugh in the hall. Butshe did not yet dare to move. In another moment the woman returned. "Ihave got to go out for a minute," she said; "just take this pill andsleep. You look tired."
Dorothy saw in the woman's hand a slip of yellow paper. Of course itwas some message that would violate the rules. And the woman had givenher some medicine to make her sleep.
"I am _too_ sleepy now," said Dorothy. "Let me alone."
That was all the attendant wanted. Quickly she went out, and thenDorothy jumped up. It was but a moment's work to open the suit-case,and slip on the plain, white, linen dress. Then for something on herhead. Yes! the cap, there it was all ready to be put on for the day'swork. The looking glass reflected a new Dorothy!
She did look like a nurse, and then no one yet knew Miss Bell. But shemight be back from breakfast at any moment!
Hurry, Dorothy! Hurry!
One more look! The long dress seemed strange, but not so strange asthe agitation that filled her heart and tingled her nerves.
She opened the door, and went out into the hall, just as an attendantwas turning out the electrics, for it was daylight.
"Good morning!" said the first guard, sitting in his big chair, whilethe marble hall seemed like an ocean to Dorothy.
"Good morning!" replied Dorothy lightly.
Then the nurses were leaving breakfast. She could hear the voices. Ifonly she could get out before Miss Bell came!
"Did you see the new girl?" she heard some one say.
"Yes, and she has been called into the office!"
That would give Dorothy time!
More guards--so many there seemed to be now, and each with his "goodmorning!" But Dorothy had taken courage. She felt better out of thatroom; it was glorious to be so near freedom.
"Is that the new nurse?" said a big man, who actually stood at thedoor.
"Looks like her," replied another, with something like a sneer.
"She'd be a lot of good with any one but--babies," said a third. Thenhe stepped up to Dorothy. She felt as if she would drop down. "Outearly," he said, peering into her frightened face.
"Yes, is that time right?" she asked on the spur of the moment,thinking to divert his attention from her face.
He looked up at the big clock. "If it was right--it wouldn't be here,"he replied with a laugh. "But don't get lost. You are on duty atseven," he went on, "but I guess a sniff of air won't do you any harm.We all take what we can get in that line."
"Yes," and Dorothy tried to smile. He had not discovered her! But whenMiss Bell reached the room----
Oh, if she could only fly--over those big stone walls. But the outsidewas even more closely guarded than was the inside, especially sincetwo patients had so lately escaped.
Down the steps went the trembling girl. How splendid it was in thefresh morning air!
"And if I can only get a message back to camp," she was thinking."What will happen to dear father if I am not soon discovered?"
Over the stone walk she sped. She glanced down the path. The frontgate was impossible. Back of the institution she saw a greatbarn--then water! Oh, if she could but pass the stablemen. They wouldnot be as keen to suspect as would be the guards.
Every one seemed busy. They were cleaning the horses, and fixing upthe big stables. Merry morning words floated through the air, and itseemed to Dorothy that her presence, that of a nurse, as theysupposed, was always the signal for some joke, or some frivolousremark. But there was no harm in this, she thought. Inside of stonewalls everybody must be akin.
"Hello, there!" called a rather young man, who in shirt sleeves, wasrubbing down a horse. "Where are you going so early?"
Dorothy scarcely dared answer. But fate saved her, for at that momentthe horse took fright at something and broke away from its post.
Instantly there was confusion, and Dorothy was forgotten. Up on theterrace were patients out in the air with guards, and in thatdirection dashed the horse, while every man from the stable ran afterit.
This left Dorothy almost free.
She saw a summer-house on the edge of a lake. Yes, and there was acanoe!
What a chance!
She shoved that canoe over the smooth grass, straight for the water.The paddles were inside, and Dorothy knew that once she was upon thewater she could escape.
Shouts from the terrace almost stunned her. She pushed the canoe intothe stream, slid into the frail bark, and started off, just as thestablemen came back over the grounds with the fractious horse!